McKiernan Playground Park
History
Between 1940 and 1950, the Mt. Greenwood community's population nearly tripled as industrial growth in the city's southwest side and south suburbs drew workers to the area. The Bureau of Parks and Recreation responded with efforts to create a small park. In 1952, the bureau acquired 1.8 acres, transforming the site into what was originally known as Sawyer Playground. Six years later, the city renamed the park in tribute to David T. McKiernan (1902--1957), who had recently died. McKiernan was in his second term as 19th ward alderman, after having served for sixteen years as an aid to John J. Duffy, the ward's previous alderman.
In 1959, the city transferred ownership of McKiernan Park to the Chicago Park District, along with more than 250 other properties. By the early 1960s, the park included a small recreation building, a playfield, playground equipment, a sand box, basketball and volley ball courts, and a spraypool. The park district undertook a major improvement of McKiernan Park's landscape in 1972, and installed a new soft surface playground in 1988.
